Agitating means for wire screen during galvanizing process



Aug. 21, 1934. s HARTER 1,971,104

AGITATING MEANS FOR WIRE SCREEN DURING GALVANIZING PROCESS Filed April18, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l jv'm 0 r Aug. 21, 1934. N. s. HARTER 1,971,104

AGITATING MEANS FOR WIRE SCREEN DURING GALVANIZING PROCESS Filed April18, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 l ENE )[H u T Patented Aug. 21, 1934 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE Noah S. Harter, Waukegan, Ill., assignor to CycloneFence Company, Waukegan, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application April 18, 1932, Serial No. 606,051

2 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in the method of fabricating wiremesh screen with more particular reference to novel apparatus for use inthe processing of the material. After re- 5 moval of the wire screenfrom the looms or weaving machines it is processed in order to increaseits resistance to corrosion and render it substantially rust-proof. Thisconsists in first cleaning the material by passing the same throughreceptacles containing acid or other cleaning solutions and thensubjecting the material to a galvanizing bath. The proximity of thewires forming the small openings in the screen presents suflicientsurface tocause the cleaning,

16 galvanizing and other liquids through which the material is passed toadhere because of capillary attraction to the material, completelyclosing the openings in the same, and as the wire screen in the form ofa continuous web passes successively from one bath to another theliquids are withdrawn in great quantities rapidly depleting the supply.

The present invention is concerned with means for causing draining ofthe liquids from the material immediately as the same leaves the variousbaths and more particularly to means that will operate to relieve thescreen of the liquids in a manner to conserve them so that they can bereturned to their respective receptacles.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is the provision of improvementsin the method of processing wire cloth and the like which will be moreeconomical by reason of the saving cf- 36 tected in the quantity ofprocessing liquids required A further object is to provide novel meansfor draining the liquids adhering to material such as wire cloth afterit has passed through a processlng bath which will be simple inconstruction and which can be applied without requiring a change ormodification of any kind to existing apparatus.

With these and various other objects in view,

46 the invention may consist of certain novel features of constructionand operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointedout in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto. 1

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the device and whereinlike reference characters are used to designate like parts- Flgure 1 isa sectional view taken longitudinally through a part of the apparatusused. in

as processing wire screen, showing the same (C1. ill-12.1)

equipped with the improvements of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the apparatus shown inFigure 1 and showing the preferred manner of operating the agitatingmeans of the invention, and

Figure 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 2.

For the purpose of illustration the present in vention is shown asapplied to a plurality of receptacles 10, 11 and 12, respectively, eachreceptacle having associated therewith upper rollers 13 and a lower roll14, the latter being suitably journaled within and located adjacent thebottom of the receptacle. The receptacle 10 is filled with a cleaningsolution for the purpose of cleaning the wire screen 15 which passesover the upper rolls and under the bottom rolls and in this manner issubjected to contact with the solution. In the event that the wirescreen has first been cleaned then the receptacle 10 may be consideredas forming a galvanizing bath containing a hot zinc solution for hotgalvanizing or zinc sulphate if an electro-galvanizing process is inoperation.

The web of. material leaving the receptacle 10 passes over the upperroll 13 and roll 16 suitably journalled in supports secured to theuprights 17 and then enters the receptacle 11 which may be considered asfurnishing a water bath for the same. This is the case irrespective ofwhether the wire has been previously subjected to an acid solution forcleansing purposes or to a galvanizing bath. Water supplied through pipe18 is sprayed on the material as it leaves the receptacle, the latterproviding a sump tank for the water. The final operation in theprocessing of the wire screen is the coating of the same withvamish,'aiter which the screen is passed through a drier and then woundupon forms containing suitable lengths for shipment. Receptacle 12 maybeconsidered as containing the supply of varnish to which the material issubjected as it passes-through the same and under roll 14. Roll 20suitably mounted for rotation on supports 21 is driven by means of thedriving chain 22 suitably connected to a source of power and meshingwith sprocket 23 on the roll. Through rotation imparted to the roll 20the web of material is caused to travel through the various receptaclesdescribed for processing the cloth.

Journalled in brackets secured to uprights 17 is a shaft 24 extendingthe width of receptacle 11 and having secured at one end crank 25 connecting with rod 26. Rotated by roller 20 is a disc 27 provided with aplurality of studs 28 suitably spaced around the outer edges'of the discand adapted to engage the bent end 30 of rod 26. By means of the coilspring 31 secured at one end to the rod and at its other end to support21 the rod 26 isheld under resilient tension, maintaining end 30 inengagement with studs 28. Arm 32 secured to shaft 24 is held againststop 33 by the coil spring 34 secured at one end to the arm andadjustable in bracket 35 by means of the bolt 36.

In accordance with the present invention the shaft 24 has suitablysecured thereto a plurality of wire forms 37 forming the agitators forthe wire screen. In operation as travel is'imparted to the web ofmaterial through rotation of roll 20 disc 27 is likewise rotated,causing the particular stud 28 in engagement with end 30 to actuate rod26, imparting rotation to shaft 24. The rotation of the shaft is in adirection to elevate the agitators 37 as shown in dotted lines, Figure1, raising of the forms out of contact with the material beingaccomplished against the tension of spring 34 which serves to impartclockwise rotation to the shaft as will be clearly understood fromFigure 3. Further rotation of disc 2'1 will efiect disengagement oi therod 26 with stud 28, whereupon shaft 24 will be under the influence ofthe spring 34 to thus impart downward movement to the wire forms. Thisstriking of the material by the wire forms agitates the material,causing any moisture or liquid adhering thereto to drop onto the tray 38which serves to return the liquid so collected to the receptacle 10. Asthe material is constantly moving successive portions are located underthe wire forms 37 and between the rolls 13 and 16 so that the entirelength of the material is subjected to vibration or agitation by meansof the actuation imparted to the wire forms as described.

' are retrieved so that none are carried by the screen into adjacentreceptacles. Considerable saving is thus eiiected in the quantity ofcleansing solution or galvanizing solution required for processing thematerial, This economy in operation is particularly noticeable in thesaving effected in the quantity of varnish required for finishing thematerial, since solutions of this nature have a high naphtha content andit is desirable that the liquids carried over by the wire screen beremoved therefrom in a manner preventing vaporization of the naphtha. Itis in this respect that the present invention results in additionaloperating economy as the liquids are removed in a manner preventingtheir loss by vaporization and facilitating their return to replenishthe supply.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exactembodiment of the device shown, which is merely by way of illustrationand not limitation, as various and other forms of the device will ofcourse be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for processing wire cloth, in

combination, a receptacle containing a. liquid forming a bath, a web ofcloth supported by the receptacle in a manner to subject a portionthereof to the bath, said web having movement through the bath, meansagitating the cloth as it leaves the bath to retrieve the liquidadhering thereto including beaters, resilient means holding the heatersin contact with the cloth, a connecting rod having a hooked end andconnecting with the heaters at the end opposite thereto, and a cam wheeldriven by the mechanism moving the cloth, the hooked end of the rodengagaing with the cam surfaces of the wheel and being released therebyto cause alternate raising and release of the heaters.

2. In apparatus for processing wire cloth, in combination, a receptaclecontaining a liquid forming a bath, a web of cloth supported by thereceptacle in a manner to subject a portion there of to the bath, saidweb having movement through the bath, means agitating the cloth as itleaves the bath to retrieve the liquid adhering thereto includingbeaters, resilient means holding the beaters in contact with the cloth,a connecting rod having a hooked end and connecting with the beaters atthe end opposite thereto, a cam wheel driven by the mechanism moving thecloth,

and resilient means holding the hooked end of the rod in engagement withthe cam surfaces of the wheel, said hooked end being alternately engagedand released by rotation of the wheel to thereby cause a raising andreleasing of the beaten.

NOAH S. HARTER.

